


Three times Buck accidentally (almost) outs them, one time they both do, one time Eddie does it on purpose

by the_milky_way



Series: Finding Love [4]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: 25 Days of Fic, Coming Out, Drunk Evan "Buck" Buckley, Eddie calls Buck Evan, Established Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Idiots in Love, Kissing, M/M, New Relationship, Prompt Fic, Protective Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Schmoop, Sex, Soft Boys, Soft Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Soft Evan "Buck" Buckley, Soft Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, only between them, prompts, sometimes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:09:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27916540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_milky_way/pseuds/the_milky_way
Summary: 5 times or rather what the title says:Buck accidentally (almost) outs him and Eddie three times, one time the manage to do it together and one time Eddie does it on purpose to protect Buck.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Series: Finding Love [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698586
Comments: 33
Kudos: 507
Collections: 9-1-1 Tales





	Three times Buck accidentally (almost) outs them, one time they both do, one time Eddie does it on purpose

**Author's Note:**

> Something a little different for Day 6.  
> This is the fourth part of the [Finding Love](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698586) series. I've had the basic idea for ages already but it took me a while to get it written the way I wanted to.
> 
> I went back through some of my old J2/SPN stuff and actually found two things/ideas that I knew would work with these two idiots as well. So I stole from myself. Guess, after a decade that should be okay ;)
> 
> No prompt for Day 6.

1\. It’s just the way I love you

Evan Buckley enjoys sex. He likes having it, by himself or with people. He savors the good moments, the happy feelings sex brings with it. Likes the intimacy as well as the high that comes with the physical part. Buck also likes letting his partner know that he enjoys it. Always has. But he’s had partners that didn’t want him to be boisterous about it, to define out loud what he wants and what he likes. He had partners who told him to shut up. And that was just during the sex he enjoyed on a basic level. 

The thing is, he doesn’t just like sex with Eddie, he freaking loves it. Like a lot. They just click. They work. Buck really, really loves it. And he’s vocal about it. Like, very vocal. To the point that Eddie makes sure they are alone when they start something. Otherwise Eddie will stop them before things go too far. But never in a way that makes Buck feel bad.

Their relationship is still new enough that they can barely keep their hands off each other. They’ve only just crossed that line into sex. To Buck it feels like that the well incident sort of worked as some kind of catalyst for them. It took them a few weeks after - a train derailment and Abby sort of riling things up to actually find the time and take that next step. But once they did they fell into it like they’ve been sleeping with each other for years.

They still haven’t really told anybody about this new development. Only Bobby knows for sure, has had them sign enough papers to last them a lifetime. Christopher knows because he caught them kissing the morning after Buck’s well-related breakdown. That was sort of a non-event. Which was and is fine with Buck. He’d almost cried his eyes out when Chris just hugged him and told him he was happy for them. Chris also told him that his dad needs someone looking after him and he thinks Buck’s the right person to do so. But Buck’s not talking about that because that made him cry for real and Eddie laugh his ass off.

Anyway, this relationship with Eddie and the sex they are having now? Well, it’s all Buck has wanted for years, has been craving for god knows how long. And he loves that Eddie is as into it as Buck, that he lets Buck have his way and takes control when Buck needs him too. Eddie is open to new things, to experiments. Which surprised Buck a little. And they are mixing things up all the time. They just go with what feels good and right in the moment.

So sex with Eddie is great. Which is why they use every chance they get to have it. Like right now, with Christopher at Abuela’s and them having the next two days off. It’s perfect. 

Buck followed Eddie home after the end of their shift. Parked down the street as all the spaces close to the house were taken. It made Eddie comment, with a sheepish smile, on how it could seem like Buck’s sneaking around for an illicit affair. Not that far off the truth but still not true at all.

On the way to Eddie’s driveway Buck dodged one of Maddie’s increasingly more frequent invites for breakfast and then had Eddie shoved against the wall by the front door the second they stepped inside. In turn Eddie had him out of his clothes in a few seconds flat. How they made it into the bedroom is lost in the haze of lust, kisses and touches. 

So here they are now, Buck writhing underneath Eddie babbling nonsense because he’s about to lose his mind. He knows he’s loud, preens at the fact that Eddies seems to enjoy it just as much. Sweaty skin sliding against his, warm lips sucking marks into his shoulder and a strong heat moving within him - Buck is so goddamn close. 

Eddie’s fingers tangling with his, and teeth sinking into his skin are Buck’s undoing. He twitches almost violently, whines loudly and curses when Eddie gets at hand on him and jerks him through it. The pounding he’s taking doesn’t stop until Buck feels an added heat and Eddie slumping against his back. They are kissing before either of them gets a chance to catch their breaths. Wanting to be closer than possible makes breathing just a minor priority.

Buck gets lost in the sensation. Gets lost in Eddie so much so that he whines loudly again when his boyfriend freezes and pulls back. Eddie is holding himself almost impossibly still, buried in Buck, splayed over his back, as they haven’t moved an inch yet. He is coming down from his high and isn’t opposed to another round, but with Eddie frozen like this, it doesn’t seem to be happening any time soon. 

Buck’s about to ask what’s wrong and twists a little, which makes Eddie hiss and shush him.

“Ssshhh, sshh.. Buck… Buck… just.. Just keep still..”

“Wha… the fuck, Eddie?” Because really, what the fuck is going on?

“Listen,” is whispered into his ear. And that is sort of counterproductive to him keeping still, because Buck is ticklish right there. Which Eddie knows. So the look Buck gets when he twitches and clenches around Eddie isn’t really justified. It’s Eddie’s fault after all. Buck’s about to say just that when he actually hears something - or rather someone.

“Eddie? You home?”

Carla? What’s Carla doing here? She knows Chris isn’t around. With Eddie still frozen above him and seemingly not inclined to move to go and greet Carla, Buck has no way of getting away. So he just slumps down. Which, thinking about it after the fact, might now have been the best idea. The movement takes Eddie with him, pulls him back deeper into Buck and involuntarily makes him groan out loud. Both of them actually. Only, Buck’s louder, like usual and has to bite down hard to suppress any other sound.

It’s sort of funny though, because it lets Carla know that someone actually is home.

“Eddie? You ok?”

“Fucker,” Eddie swears, mumbles it into Buck’s curls where he’s trying to hide his face. Thing is though, Buck is trying to hold back laughter and it’s an almost impossible task. He is biting into the pillow now to keep himself from guffawing. The irony isn’t lost on him. Eddie curses, really colorful this time, because Buck laughing beneath him definitely has an effect. The second Eddie slips free and gets rid of the condom, Buck’s gasping into the pillows, laughing so hard that he thinks he might suffocate if Eddie doesn’t solve this situation soon.

They can hear Carla walking down the hallway and Buck doesn’t think he’s seen Eddie move and get dressed this fast outside of the firehouse. It makes him laugh even harder. He chances a glance when Eddie moves to the door, blocking the view to the bed with his body. And Buck can admit that his boyfriend looks glorious. Hair mused, back muscles glistening with sweat since he skipped a shirt, sweats riding low enough to make the hip bone stand out. Buck loves Eddie like this, because he looks strong and soft at the same time.

Buck’s still muffling his snickers in the pillow when he hears Eddie great Carla just outside the bedroom. The door clicks closed before Carla even has a chance to catch a glimpse of a very naked Buck sprawled over Eddie’s bed. He must look debauched as hell. But just lying there, on Eddie’s super soft sheets, the fluffy pillow still pressed close to his chest and the air filled with the remnants of their lust, Buck feels great. Even if he almost accidentally outed them just a few seconds ago. He wouldn’t mind it happening. And he thinks Eddie wouldn’t either. But they are still in the phase of their relationship, where they want to be just them, keep it between them. To learn how they can be a them.

“Everything ok there Eddie? Thought I heard someone groan,” Carla sounds suspicious on the best of days. Now she sounds downright smug, as if she knows exactly what they were up.

And Buck wouldn't put it past her. Maybe she saw his car in the street? Who knows. Buck hears Eddie shuffling outside the door, as if he’s trying to get Carla away from the room. Buck just snorts into the fabric and laughs at the sound of Eddie scoffing.

“No. I mean, I am fine. Was just working out.”

“Sure, Eddie. If that’s what they call it these days. Alone time is important.”

Buck’s howling into the pillow by the time their voices fade and hopes he doesn’t accidentally out them for real this time because he can’t stop laughing. It takes him a while to calm down again. He can just imagine Eddie’s face, the red spreading and the pinched expression that he gets when he tries to hide his embarrassment. But just the thought of Eddie with his disheveled, clearly just out of bed look facing Carla and her judgement gives Buck more joy than it probably should. Carla isn’t too far off the truth anyway.

Buck relaxes into the bed, stretches out the kinks in his back before he wriggles into a comfortable position. He feels good like this, thoroughly satisfied and happy. His body is floating on endorphins, still a little high. His mind is calm, occupied with good thoughts for once. For a second he thinks about checking his phone while he waits for Eddie to come back but dismisses the thought when he feels himself drifting off. 

He doesn’t know how long Eddie is gone, but he must have slipped into sleep at some time. When the bed dips Buck blinks awake again. Eddie settles into the sheets and pulls Buck close. Strong arms wrap around his naked skin, muscled thighs slide between his and Buck tugs his face into his favorite place against Eddie’s neck. He smiles when warm lips drop soft kisses on his forehead. His own hands trapped between their bodies splay open on Eddie’s chest and savor the warm skin they find there.

“Things good?” His whispers, grins when Eddie shivers at the sensation of soft breaths at his neck.

“Oh yeah, other than the fact that Carla now thinks I spend my days off masturbating like there is no tomorrow.”

Buck’s laughter is muffled but still very much there. His shaking body pushes them closer together, makes Buck aware that Eddie lost the sweatpants before he came back to bed. It’s a fact he very much likes. 

“You did look like you just fell out of bed.” Buck says, sounding way too amused even for his own ears. It’s still funny as hell and no one can convince him otherwise. 

“Right. Not something I ever want to talk about with Carla again. Ever. You hear me, Evan? The next time she needs signatures and shows up on our day off, I’ll shove you out the door to face her. With or without clothes on.”

Buck knows Eddie doesn’t really mean the threat but just his use of “our” and the implication that Buck will be around for a next time makes something flutter in his belly. Something good and exciting. He snuggles closer and grins when Eddie huffs. The kiss that follows is just as soft as the smile that Eddie gives him afterwards.

“You don’t mind her knowing?” Eddie asks against his lips, fingers tangled in Buck’s curls, scratching skin. Buck feels grounded just then.

“No. Not at all. It’s just fun sneaking around right now. Having this to ourselves for the time being. But if people find out, then that’s okay with me. Hell, I almost accidentally outed us earlier anyway.”

“True. Time for a payback,” Eddie says and hauls Buck on top of him. Round two is a go. Buck’s all for it.

++++

2\. Late, late and late again

They are late. They are so damn late because someone, not Buck as he insists, forgot to set the second alarm. So when the first alarm went off they both turned around and fell back asleep immediately. Because they both know that Buck never ever snoozes his alarm and needs a second one. They always have Eddie set it if they spend the night together. But yesterdays’ shift had been exhausting in the way that left them both ready to collapse just at the sight of a bed.

It was Christopher who woke them up. With a well placed poke into Eddie’s ribs and a not so subtle, very judgy “Dad, we are late.”

And late they were. Very much so. Chris only has a half day at school, as there is a conference in the morning. So Eddie had arranged for Carla to pick Chris up from Abuela’s since his and Buck’s shift starts before school does. To get Chris to Abuela’s place in time and not be late for work they had to rush.

They rushed so much that Eddie leaves his work bag where it sits in the hallway, only to realize that, when they are almost at Abuela’s. Too late to turn around if they want to get Christopher there still on time. Too late to drive back after drop off as well, if they both want to at work on the dot.

“Listen, Eds. I’ll call an Uber. Go from Abuela's directly to the station. I’ll let Bobby know. You go back and get your things. No reason for us both to be late.” Buck offers. 

And yeah, it sounds reasonable so Eddie agrees. Not really happy with the thought of losing his morning drive with Buck and not really happy with being late either. But otherwise he’ll have to wear his emergency uniform, which he forgot to take with him to wash the last time and yeah, not a thought he wants to follow right now. There are extra uniforms at the firehouse of course and he could borrow things from Buck, but his bag holds his shoes as well and there aren’t any extras around right now. He really can’t go on a call wearing sneakers.

Buck orders the Uber from the car, sends a message to Abuela as well, letting her know they are in a rush and don’t have much time. Eddie smiles at the thoughtfulness, squeezes Buck’s hand where it rests against his knee. This is starting to feel normal, this domestic everyday life with a partner by his side. Eddie missed this without realizing it. 

When they get to the house Isabel is waiting for them at the curb, to-go-cups ready and a knowing smile on her lips as she watches Buck jump from the car to help Chris get out. Eddie says goodbye to his son, hugs him a second too long and then lets Buck take over again. It feels natural to let Buck handle getting Chris situated.

Eddie is by his grandmother’s side a moment later, places a soft kiss on her cheek and thanks her for the coffee. A second too late he registers her speculative look towards Buck.

“He spends the night a lot these days?”

It’s an innocent question. Only, Eddie knows she doesn’t mean it as innocently as it’s posed. His grandmother has always known him better than anybody else in his family. And she definitely knows something is up. Has probably known for a while and just lets him figure it all out on his own. The twinkle in her eyes suggests that she might be quite happy with the developments. She does like Buck a lot after all. 

Eddie doesn’t answer right away, watches Buck instead as he gets Christopher inside and then rushes back out. He mirrors Eddie’s actions from earlier. Places a soft kiss on Abuela's cheek, thanks her for the coffee and then rushes forward when the Uber pulls up. Only to stop short, turn back to Eddie and to hug him like they won’t be seeing each other soon again.

“Lov... Uh… Later. See you later. Yeah.. I gotta... Bye, abuela.” And with that he is gone. Almost flies into the car and looks straight ahead, as if he’s afraid to look back at them. Eddie can see the blush spreading though, laughs a little when he realizes what Buck actually wanted to say. This dork accidentally almost outed them again. 

A soft hand on his arm draws attention to the woman next to him. Maybe Eddie should scratch the ‘almost’ from that thought. The twinkle in this brown knowing eyes looking at him is more obvious now. There is no chance that she didn’t hear Buck’s near slip. And Eddie doesn’t mind in the slightest.

Those near misses, Buck slipping up like that. It’s cute. 

“Yeah. He spends the night a lot these days,” is what he says in the end.

“Good. None of you boys should be as lonely as you have been. He makes you smile. Makes you happy.”

Yeah, Buck does. And it is. Good. Perfect even. He really, really doesn’t want to spend his nights and days alone anymore. Not when he has the chance of Buck being right there with him. Eddie doubts he has ever felt like this before. He thinks he never will again. Buck is it. Simple as that.

“Edmundo, as happy as I am for you and would love to chat about it all, but aren’t you late?”

Oh hell. Oh no. He should have been on his way already. 

The happy and amused smile his grandmother gives him when he plants a last kiss on her forehead and rushes back to his truck is worth all the ribbing he gets when he finally makes it to the station. Buck’s sheepish smile and the mouthed Sorry from across the truck later, when they are on the way to a call, has Eddie smiling almost exuberantly. 

This is good.  
They are good. 

It’s only a matter of time before everyone knows it, too.

++++

3\. Health is important, always...

It’s the first time in ages that almost all of them have managed to have two days off. What’s even more astounding is, that they actually found the time to meet up as a group. Only Bobby begged out due to family matters and Athena wanting her husband to herself for once. And no one would even dare to think about protesting or trying to convince Bobby otherwise. At least Buck hopes none of them would. He is still a little afraid of Athena.

So here they are, in a bar they had found around a year ago and where they all feel comfortable. Maddie gets to have a vast menu of non-alcoholic cocktails to choose from, Chim has the karaoke machine at his beck and call, Hen loves the chicken wings to pieces and Karen’s happy with their wine collection. As for Eddie, well, Eddie went cliche and now tries to have each drink with tequila at least once. Buck just tries to keep up and revel in the knowledge that they are having a good time. 

With Chris at camp and May volunteering to watch the other kids at Hen and Karen’s, they don’t even have to worry about being home at a certain time or you know, staying sober. Which Buck guesses is one of the reasons why he feels a little fuzzy already. They’ve been here for an hour, their table has constantly been full with different variations of glasses, bottles and plates with snacks. Chim and Maddie have been on stage at least twice already with Hen functioning as an avid cheerleader.

Eddie is caught in a conversation with Karen about God knows what, so Buck’s decided to emerge himself in test-tasting the cocktail menu from top to bottom. He’s on drink five right now. Something colorful and fruity, which usually isn’t his kinda thing but it tastes good so he keeps on slurping it through the equally colorful glass straw. He plans on sneaking that at the end of the evening because it is in all the colors he likes and it is glittery in a way he doesn’t mind.

He catches bits and pieces of conversations left and right. Buck even registers when Maddie settles back into the corner next to him after yet another successful rendition of whatever lovesong Chim came up with this time around. His cocktails are much more interesting than trying to keep up with what everyone is talking about, though.

And well, he’s been playing footsie under the table with Eddie for a while now, so he is distracted anyway. Buck’s shoeless foot has worked its way up to Eddie’s knee and is now stroking along the inseam of his jeans. Eddie doesn’t object or try to stop him in any way. Buck is sucking on the straw with abandon all the while and grins at the choked off sounds Eddie can’t hide from time to time. This is fun. His alcohol addled brain agrees.

Buck is in the middle of contemplating his next cocktails when words to his right catch his attention. He’s not sure why exactly but he thinks Hen’s saying something about health issues to Eddie and how checking prostates is the thing to do. Or something. Buck’s not really clear why protates are the topic right now but he knows Eddie is in top form - healthy and all. So he just says that. It’s important for Hen to know that Eddie is okay.

“His prostate’s jus fine. Visit it regularly,” Buck somehow manages to slur around the straw in his mouth.

There are sputters, choked off laughs and coughs that sound somewhat painful. The silence around the table confuses him a little but he doesn’t really mind. This way he can concentrate on his drink and doesn’t have to try to keep up with all the conversations. 

And then his glas is slowly sliding out from under him, taking the straw with it. Which, not cool. He tries to follow it with his mouth but unfortunately the table is in the way. So he almost faceplants onto it. Only a hand quickly grabbing his hoodie prevents him from a not so nice mark in his face. There are snorts again. Yeah, okay, he might be a little bit drunk right now. His brain is fuzzy and he feels good, so he doesn’t care all that much. Just, his straw is gone and with it the colors plus you know, his cocktail.

When he looks up he meets Eddie’s raised eyebrows. Sees that Eddie’s fingers are the ones stealing his cocktail and pouts. Because, again, not cool.

“Muh?” he manages to ask. Is even more confused when the entire table erupts into laughter.

He blinks, sees them all staring at him with various degrees of amusement on their faces and doesn’t really know what to say, how to react. Did he say something weird?

“How drunk are you, Buck?” Maddie asks from his side. He forgot that she was there.

“Jus a lil’ fuzzy. Can I have m’ straw back please. You took all the colors’ way, Eds.” Because that is clearly the more important matter right now, not that fact that everyone’s still staring at him and maybe at Eddie, too. 

“Acquainted with Eddie’s anatomy much, Buckaroo?” Chim sounds way too amused, which makes Buck frown. He doesn’t like it when Chim mocks him. He tells Eddie that in a whisper, leaning over the table again trying to get his straw back.

“I’m sorry, Buck. Didn’t mean to mock you. I’m just surprised you know anything about Eddie’s prostate.” Okay, so maybe his whisper wasn’t all that whispery. There are some snickers again and Buck sees Eddie rolling his eyes. Eddie doesn’t look angry or annoyed, so Buck thinks what he said can’t have been too bad.

Oh right, health issues. He blinks again and somehow his mind provides him with a memory of the words used. He’s still aware enough to realize that it might not be a good idea to let people know that he loves to use his fingers on or rather in Eddie. Not even to check if his prostate is healthy. Because no one knows about that. About them. So Buck’s searching for a reasonable excuse for his words when Eddie’s hand taps his foot, where it’s still somehow pressed against Eddie’s thigh. The point of contact, the feel of Eddie’s fingers gently massaging his ankle, calms his racing thoughts a little, clears his head a bit. He goes for the first explanations his drunk mind comes up with. Not his best work but it should do.

“Jus’ meant, he goes to check-ups. So healthy. You know? Is good,” Buck tries to put all the innocence he can muster up into it. Hoping that what he said gets cancelled out but him being his adorable self. It usually works.

He gets looks again, but the suspicion Chim and Hen had in their eyes vanishes, so Buck takes that as a success. He directs his pleading eyes back on Eddie, who laughs outright at him but slides the glass across the table. Buck makes a happy sound, clutches his cocktail and goes back to sucking the sweet concoction through the straw.

“Jesus,” he hears Eddie mumble, grins when he catches his boyfriend’s eyes again. He is so in love with this man. He wants the whole world to know. But not when Eddie isn't ready.

“Should we tell him that we were actually talking prosthetics? Curious how his mind went there, huh?” This his Hen. Hen who somehow ended up between Buck and Eddie. Who is now watching them curiously. It’s then that Buck realizes they are alone at the table, the others on stage again, howling something about carrying on and sons. Buck isn’t really sure, doesn’t know the song.

“Leave it, Hen. He’s drunk. It’s loud in here. And honestly? I think he only got bits and pieces of conversations the way he’s fixated on that straw.”

Buck’s nodding along with Eddie, because yeah, he wasn’t really listening and the colors of the straw were too good not to watch them.

“Alright, Buck. Guess the straw made your night then,” Hen says with a laugh. When he directs his gaze at her, a wide smile stretching his lips, he sees her looking back fondly. All traces of mischief or suspicion gone. And then she is gone as well, joining Karen at the edge of the stage where Chim and Maddie are rocking yet another song.

“Come on, let’s get you home,” Eddie says against his temple and it’s only then that Buck realizes how he has almost crawled into Eddie’s lap. It’s a comfy place.

“Well, the bed will be even comfier,” Eddie answers with a laugh. Okay, so his brain to mouth filter is on vacation again. Nothing new there. And he loves how Eddie laughs, fond and carefree in a way he rarely allows himself.

Buck’s leaning against Eddie when they both tumble their way out of their corner. Buck struggles to get his shoe back on and Eddie holds him upright as best as he can. They are about to turn towards the exit when Buck digs his heels in, makes them both stumble and sort of crash into the partition to the next table. 

“Buck, what?” Eddie still sounds amused, so Buck just shrugs and then sways with the whirling feeling that the movement creates. 

“Whoa… uh straw. Can we take? Is pretty,” he slurs into Eddie’s neck where his head found it’s natural resting place when Eddie pulled him closer after his swaying episode. A sigh and they are turning back towards the table. Buck silently cheers. Or not. Eddie’s laughing again, so maybe not so silently.

“Nothing about you is silent right now, Evan.”

Oh

Okay.

Still, when he has the straw in his hand, Buck can’t help but cheer again. Pressed against Eddie’s neck of course. 

“You have no idea what watching you with that damn straw did to me tonight. Sometimes, you really are a menace.” They manage to make their way out of the bar, towards the road where Eddie’s truck is parked. 

“Sorry?” He’s not. Sorry that is. Sucking on things in front of Eddie is fun.

“That sounded very convincing there. But I don’t mind. You looked relaxed. Happy.”

“Am happy.”

“Good. There you go. Just lift your leg a little and duck your head.” A strong hand softly guides him down and into the car Buck completely missed them reaching. Can Eddie even drive? Should he?

“I had one beer, Buck. One. And then Maddie had me finish most of her cocktails when she hated them.”

Eddie is such a cavalier. Drinking fruity non-alcoholic cocktails even though he hates them. What a hero. 

“Oh God, you are so stupidly drunk, it’s totally cute. Even if you almost accidentally outed us again.” Eddie kisses his cheek from his side of the car, buckles Buck in and then starts the engine. Buck’s missing pieces of time but as long as Eddie is there with him, things are totally fine.

“You mind?” Buck smacks his lips, trying to get rid of the sweet residue his last cocktail left behind, only to realize that he has been sucking on the straw all this time. 

“Naw. I don’t. They can know. We can tell them. Just not… not this way. Not with you getting our sex life all out in the open,” Eddie snorts, then laughs out loud and Buck sees him shaking his head out of the corner of his eye. Eddie’s not mad then.

“Nope. Not mad. It was funny actually. And cute, how you tried to save us. Worked mostly, I think.”

Buck grins, tucks the straw with its colors closer to his chest and revels in the fact that he didn’t ruin this night out. The warm hand on his thigh, the gentle move of the car and Eddie just being there lets him slip into sleep easily.

+++

4\. Weddings bells.. Or something like that

It’s been a few days since their night out, and Buck feels like Hen has been giving him - well no, them actually - knowing looks ever since. Okay, Hen has been giving them looks since Eddie started at the 118 but that’s neither here nor there. Anyway, weird looks from Hen. Buck’s not really sure how to react to them. If he should say something or let it slide. He asked Eddie about it but didn’t get very far with it. Because apparently his boyfriend thinks it’s funny that he’s paranoid.

Okay, not that’s not really true. But since Eddie doesn’t mind everyone actually finding out and knowing about them, he thinks Hen watching them isn’t a big deal. Buck thinks it is. He sort of really likes being secretive and keeping their relationship to themselves. It gives him a bit of a high to sneak kisses from Eddie when someone could walk in on them any minute. They keep it professional at work, though.

There’s no overly affectionate touching, no kisses, no pet names. Nothing. They don’t act any different than they usually do. And it seems to work so far. Bobby’s knowing looks are different from Hen’s, because he actually does know. And he told them two weeks after that fateful night, when Eddie was back to work, that he is proud of them for handling things the way they do. 

It sort of came as a surprise for Buck that the higher ups don’t mind relationships at work as long as there isn’t a cross power imbalance or taking advantage happening. It’s also their decision if they want to be on the same shift, seeing as they both will be on the same tough calls with no one being home for Christopher. But that is a discussion for the future. One that Eddie clearly stated they will have. Just not yet, though.

So, Hen’s looks. Like the one she is giving them right now. They are in the middle of a 24-hour-shift and he’s been arguing with Eddie about how the rescue last shift really happened. Because it was a clusterfuck with a good ending and Buck knows his quick thinking contributed to that. Hen had been off that shift and asked how it went.

Eddie had to go and tease Buck about his vast knowledge of … well, of things. One of them being household hacks he binge watched during his recovery and that somehow stuck with him. So what if it was a simple hack that made him think about a way to get the two trapped men out of the fire? It worked. And Eddie saying otherwise is just not cool, even if he’s smiling the entire time.

“What? No. That’s not what happened. Dammit, Eddie,” Buck sputters when they move up the stairs to the loft. Eddie’s laughing loudly while bumping his side into Buck’s. 

Of course, Eddie knows it’s not how it happened. He just had to comment on how the other truck crew kicked the door in when Buck simply opened the window to get the men out. Nothing about opening those windows was simple. Okay? Thank you very much.

“When’s the wedding again?” Hen asks, with that look of hers. Like she knows and thinks she’s clever about. Okay, she is but Buck’s not having that right now. He goes for casual to throw her off. 

“Eddie hasn’t asked yet,” Buck shrugs while moving towards the coffee that sits freshly brewed in the kitchen. He so needs that right now. Still about 10 hours to go and it is the middle of the day. He needs to keep awake any way he can if he wants to stand a chance of sleeping later.

“Who says I should be the one asking?” Eddie sounds indignant but the small smile on his lips says he’s amused.

“Cause I wouldn’t want to take away the very stereotypical manly experience of asking from you. Seeing as you are a manly man and all that. Also I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the happy tears once I say yes. So… yes, you should be the one asking because I’m totally settled in my sexuality and don’t need this kind of affirmation. I love you too much to not let you have that.” Buck nods and ads a dash of milk to his otherwise very black cup of caffeine goodness. 

“Nice.” Eddie says with as much sarcasm as he can muster while trying not to laugh. “Love you, too. You’ll be waiting a long time then, though,” he adds with a wink and steals Buck’s coffee right out of his hand and heads back downstairs. That fucker.

Hen just stares. A bit flabbergasted and a lot confused. 

Buck rewinds what he just said, what they just said and flounders a little when he comes to the love part of it all. That’s unfortunate but sort of how Buck thought it would go. They are so settled into their dynamics now that they don’t even really think about it anymore. He turns back to the coffee machine and sets out to fix himself another cup. Because really, he needs caffeine for this conversation.

“Buck?” Hen sounds careful, cautious even, as if she maybe doesn’t know how to approach him. As if she thinks he’s freaking out there. He’s kinda surprised that he isn’t, freaking out that is. But after the Carla-scenario this is quite tame. He can deal with that. He hopes.

“It’s okay, Hen. I’m not freaking out. I know what I said. I know what he said,” he turns around then, makes sure that they are alone in the loft and motiones towards the couches. If they are having this conversation then it won’t be while standing awkwardly in the kitchen. 

They settle on one of the bigger couches, facing each other so that it’s clear they want privacy should someone come up to the loft just then. He feels his phone vibrate, holds up a hand to Hen before she can say something. He smiles at Eddie’s message.

I don’t mind Hen knowing if you don’t. Find me, when you are done.

Eddie knows him too well sometimes. 

“So, this is real, then?” Hen asks. And Buck isn’t surprised that she comes right to the point. She is, after all, someone who knows Eddie and him. Also, she has been watching them a lot lately. Nothing gets past her. 

“Yeah.” Buck sort of shrugs, knows he looks a little sheepish judging from the amused smile Hen grants him.

Because why deny it? It’s not like they are actively hiding. They just haven’t had the opportunity to tell yet. Maybe accidentally outing their relationship in random situations is the way to go.

“So real that a wedding is a possibility?” She asked with a raised eyebrow and a twinkle in her eyes. Buck loves her. Because she may mean it in a teasing way, as a joke right now, but also lets him know she’ll be the first to celebrate with them if it’s ever happening.

“Maybe. Not yet. It’s still sorta new, you know. Like, we still get a thrill out of sneaking around without one of us feeling like we are hiding the other. It’s just us. Eddie and me becoming an us. So yeah, maybe. But for now, no.”

Hen nods then. There’s understanding in her eyes, which lets him know he can count on her if this thing should become overwhelming and he or Eddie need support. She also suddenly smirks in a way Buck realizes maybe a second too late means nothing good for him.

“So you do visit Eddie’s prostate regularly after all.”

Buck splutters, almost chokes on the sip of coffee he was about to take. Hen is the devil.

And she says it with such glee that his cheeks instantly grow hot with embarrassment. He knows what he said at the bar. A very delighted Eddie and then later a very amused Maddie had him regaled with the story about his selective hearing. Somehow he knew this would come back and bite him someday. That it was only a few days later is par for the course.

The crash they hear from right below the loft followed by very expletive curses in Spanish let them know that Eddie hadn’t been far. Probably in case Buck needed him. Hen’s laughing so hard she is hiccuping and slumped all the way down on the couch. 

Eddie’s with them a second later, not as red as Buck knows he is but it’s visible. Buck just prays that no one else was close to hear that. It was bad enough to be teased by Eddie about it, he doesn’t need the entire house weigh in on it as well. It’s going to be embarrassing as it is with Hen knowing.

“Jesus Christ, Hen. Really?” 

It only makes her laugh harder. She is clutching her sides by the time Eddie realizes any kind of reprimand is going to be pointless by now and settles down next to Buck. They are both watching Hen, waiting for her to calm down again. It’s really not that funny.

“Oh god... Oh damn, I’m sorry… Sorry,” she finally manages to gasp out and then takes another minute or two to actually stop crying tears of laughter. There’s a deep sigh, a breath, another one and then Hen sits up again. She wipes her face, swallows another wave of laughter and finally dares to look at them again.

“I just remembered Buck’s face when he said it. All confused puppy but so damn earnest. With the straw hanging from his lips. Just precious.”

The only warning Buck gets is the little gasp from his side before Eddie is hiding his face against Buck’s back. Eddie tries to muffle his laughter the best he can but Buck can feel him shaking, feels his hands clutching at Buck’s waist where Eddie tries to keep himself from sliding off the couch.

“Great. Now it’s going to take him ages to calm down. Thanks, Hen.” But Buck’s smiling because Eddie letting loose like this is still rare, especially outside their own little private bubble.

Buck’s totally willing to provide the reason, not matter how embarrassing, for Eddie to be this carefree. And Eddie knows it, too. Pulls Buck closer against his chest, when he has calmed down enough to hook his chin over Buck’s shoulder to look at Hen.

“Damn. You two are cute,” she says - and Buck, well, Buck believes her.

++++

5\. Sleep of the Blessed

Chim’s on a mission. Simple as that. He knows Hen is privy to facts he’s not aware of. And she is hiding them from him. It definitely has something to do with the way she has been smiling softly at Buck and Eddie for a few days now. So Chim set out to figure out what this is all about, because to him those two dumbasses are still living on as oblivious as ever. 

He can’t imagine ever being this obvious about his feelings and not figuring it out. Well, okay, him and Maddie did take a while there but they managed just fine, thank you very much. And really, they never had been on this level of “oblivious idiocy” as these two seem to be residing on.

Anyway, his mission. He first thought he might be able to bribe Hen with lunch at her favorite bistro. Just the two of them as a best-friends-out kinda day. No dice there, though. She kept mum and grinned all knowingly - annoyingly - at him. Just said it wasn’t her story to tell and left him to pay the bill. Nice friend she was. But no, it’s his own fault. He knows Hen rarely takes a bribe. And if she does, she really wants to get something out of it. And she only does it when it’s only her involved. 

So Chim had resorted to following tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum around. Unobtrusively, of course. He knows how to blend in and watch without being made. He thinks. Neither of them seemed to be the wiser anyway. Doesn’t mean it actually helped Chim figuring it all out. In the end he tried to get each of them alone, to use his renowned interrogation techniques on them individually. Only, they never seem to be alone anymore. Always with the other, always occupied with something.

Except, when they go down for a nap. He saw Eddie walking to the bunks earlier. Without Buck. This could be his chance to gain knowledge of what’s going on and get even with Hen. But of course, he can’t just simply walk in there and ask Eddie. He’s got to do it the Chim way. Surprise attack, with no way for Eddie to escape and no chance of Buck coming to his rescue.

The bunk room is tinged in the soft light coming from one of the bedside tables. Otherwise it’s dark and quiet. Eddie’s on his side, facing the door, huddled under a blanket and snuffling softly into the pillow. He looks peaceful. And Chim almost feels guilty for what he’s about to do. But they have grinned at him knowingly for too many days for him not to go through with his plan. And he let Eddie sleep for two hours, so it’s not like he’s cruel or anything.

“Rise and shine sleepyhead,” Chim declares loudly, aiming for the most annoying wake-up call he can come up with. Only to be stunned into silence when instead of Eddie it’s Buck shooting up in bed - the same bed even - flailing wildly. All the while Eddie sleeps on happily. Or so Chim thinks.

“Wha... Chim?,” Buck sounds wrecked, like he woke up screaming earlier. Chim feels like an ass then, wants to smack himself up the head. Maybe he should have checked where Buck was before executing his brilliant plan. He knows Buck gets nightmares still, from time to time even at the station. Yeah, this is going according to plan. Not.

“Sorry, Buck. Go back to sleep. I was just being annoying,” Chim says softly, already taking steps backwards, out of the room again. His curiosity can wait another day or two. He can endure Hen’s smugness for a while still.

“Come on, sleep time. Lie back down, Evan,” Eddie’s sleep soft voice travels through the silence Chim’s apology left behind.

And Buck does. Sighs heavily and then rearranges himself back into a position where he can’t be seen from the door but which Chim’s pretty sure brings him all the much closer to Eddie. Also, Evan? Really? He’s almost out the room again, door halfway closed when he realizes that Eddie’s eyes are on him. Chim feels guilty all over again. 

“Sorry.” He keeps his voice soft now and his steps light.

Eddie nods, moves to pull Buck’s arm from around his waist up against his chest and sighs, too when Buck just goes with the motion. This looks like it’s common between them, like it isn’t anything new anymore. Like they have been sleeping in the same bed for a while now. And Chim realizes that Eddie’s use of Evan was deliberate. That it’s the answer he’s been looking for, together with the sight of the two of them just now.

Back up in the loft Hen snickers when he slumps down on the couch next to her. He’s a fool sometimes. And she knows it, too.

“Curiosity satisfied?”

“Could have warned me.” He sighs and feels even more like an idiot when Hen outright laughs at him.

“Had to learn your lesson. At least this way you’ll now always check where both of them are. Just to make sure you won’t make a fool of yourself again. Be happy, that they weren’t going at it. Young love, honeymoon phase and all that.”

“They wouldn’t…” And yeah, the second the words leave his lips, he knows that they totally would. Hen’s raised eyebrow says as much. They both also know that only Bobby’s stern presence keeps them from actually doing anything scandalous at work. And Chim’s pretty sure Bobby knows, otherwise Eddie would have never allowed to be found in such a compromising situation.

“Did they tell you?” Hen asks, eyes fixed on the documentary she has been watching but her attention is focused on him. Probably to gage how he’s taking it.

“Not exactly. Buck was too out of it. Nightmare I think. Eddie called him Evan, though.”

“Damn, this sap,” Hen laughs.

“It’s a thing between them, then huh? Figured as much. Good way to come out to us. Or rather me. Think Maddie knows?” Chim is sort of expecting the look she gives him. Exasperated, fond and protective. Those two have set up place in all of their hearts. They are family after all.

“Not sure. But don’t your dare, Howard Han. Let them do it on their own terms. You forced their hand there a little. I don’t think they mind but the way Eddie tells it, so far coming out has been accidental most of the times.”

And that makes sense. It screams them so much that Chim snorts, amused and exasperated as well. Hen’s just as amused and with that, with one look and a nod, it’s settled. They will do everything in their power to protect Buck and Eddie. The same way those two do will do it for them if the need should arise.

**Author's Note:**

> OMG A. I am so sorry that I tortured you with all the re-writes and new ideas I came up with while writing this. So thankful that you went over them patiently anyway.  
> As usual, all remaining mistakes are mine.
> 
> Also, Buck and the straw? That is so me and I don't regret anything. Even though this straw has been residing in my kitchen for near on three years now, the colors are awesome.


End file.
